diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 42664571b..e0f0533e3 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -411,13 +411,15 @@ if (APPLE)
     endif()
     find_library(AVFOUNDATION_LIBRARY AVFoundation REQUIRED)
     find_library(IOSURFACE_LIBRARY IOSurface REQUIRED)
-    set(PLATFORM_LIBRARIES ${COCOA_LIBRARY} ${AVFOUNDATION_LIBRARY} ${IOSURFACE_LIBRARY} ${MOLTENVK_LIBRARY})
+    set(PLATFORM_LIBRARIES ${COCOA_LIBRARY} ${AVFOUNDATION_LIBRARY} ${IOSURFACE_LIBRARY})
 
     if (ENABLE_VULKAN AND NOT ENABLE_LIBRETRO)
-        if (NOT USE_SYSTEM_MOLTENVK)
+        if (USE_SYSTEM_MOLTENVK)
+            find_library(MOLTENVK_LIBRARY MoltenVK REQUIRED)
+        else()
             download_moltenvk()
         endif()
-        find_library(MOLTENVK_LIBRARY MoltenVK REQUIRED)
+
         message(STATUS "Using MoltenVK at ${MOLTENVK_LIBRARY}.")
         set(PLATFORM_LIBRARIES ${PLATFORM_LIBRARIES} ${MOLTENVK_LIBRARY})
     endif()
diff --git a/CMakeModules/DownloadExternals.cmake b/CMakeModules/DownloadExternals.cmake
index a76d95ae1..2ac55ca35 100644
--- a/CMakeModules/DownloadExternals.cmake
+++ b/CMakeModules/DownloadExternals.cmake
@@ -172,9 +172,11 @@ endfunction()
 
 function(download_moltenvk)
     if (IOS)
-        set(MOLTENVK_PLATFORM "static/MoltenVK.xcframework/ios-arm64")
+        set(platform "static/MoltenVK.xcframework/ios-arm64")
+        set(lib libMoltenVK.a)
     else()
-        set(MOLTENVK_PLATFORM "dynamic/dylib/macOS")
+        set(platform "dynamic/dylib/macOS")
+        set(lib libMoltenVK.dylib)
     endif()
 
     set(MOLTENVK_DIR "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/externals/MoltenVK")
@@ -189,9 +191,9 @@ function(download_moltenvk)
             WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/externals")
     endif()
 
-    # Add the MoltenVK library path to the prefix so find_library can locate it.
-    list(APPEND CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH "${MOLTENVK_DIR}/MoltenVK/${MOLTENVK_PLATFORM}")
-    set(CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH ${CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH} PARENT_SCOPE)
+    # Forcefully set the MoltenVK library in cache so find_library calls don't override it
+    set(MOLTENVK_LIBRARY "${MOLTENVK_DIR}/MoltenVK/${platform}/${lib}")
+    return(PROPAGATE MOLTENVK_LIBRARY)
 endfunction()
 
 function(get_external_prefix lib_name prefix_var)